Fenway Faithful even in the off-season

2/5/10THE FENWAY--Chants of "Go Sox, Go Sox" are heard in the Fenway area on game days. Yawkey Way and Lansdowne Street are mobbed with children, teenagers, college students and adults who make their way to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox play.

From April to October the Fenway neighborhood is transformed into "Red Sox Nation."

Elizabeth Cattaneo, a Simmons College graduate student said she watches the fans from her apartment, above Boston Beer Works, during baseball season.

"When a game is starting, I like to look out the window and look at the overpass on Brookline Ave," she said. "It is amazing to watch. There are no cars moving and it's a flood of red clothes covering the streets, not just the sidewalks."

But, when baseball season is over the Red Sox craze begins to die down. The flood of red shirts diminishes to one or two and the sound of car horns beeping replace the chants of fans.

Game On!, a multi-media sports bar, located on the corner of Brookline Avenue and Lansdowne Street, is seconds away from Fenway Park.

Beth Anthony, manager of Game On!, said the crowds are much smaller during off season.

"There is a huge difference in the mood during on season and off season," she said. "We love the fans so much and appreciate the business Fenway Park provides us with."

During off-season, the Fenway bars continue to draw customers but the atmosphere is much different.

Boston Beer Works, located on Brookline Avenue, is across the street from Game On!.

"I go into Beer Works at least once a week because I live above it but the bars are definitely less crowded," said Cattaneo. "The weekends do get crowds, being sports bars, but not like during baseball season where you may not make it into the bar."

Joe Mancuos, manager of Boston Beer Works, said business is good throughout the year.

"We have repeat customers and a VIP membership so we see a lot of familiar faces," said Mancuos. "During baseball season we see a lot of new faces, usually a mixture of students and new residents to the area."

Anthony explained that Game On! has a number of events during off-season to keep customers coming back including watch parties for the Bruins and Celtics and trivia night on Wednesdays.

"We create events in the off -season so people have a good time," she said. "And we have a huge New Year's Bash every year.

Mancuos said the way to keep customers coming back is to "treat them right".

"We serve delicious food and a variety of beers and our VIP program provides discounts every month," said Mancuos.

Red Sox fans may have to wait until baseball season to catch a game at Fenway Park but they can head down to Brookline Avenue and Lansdowne Street to experience the Fenway hype.